Chaos in Cairo: The Bugs Bite Back - A Sequel

Note: This story is not for the faint-hearted. The story you are about to read contains scenes of violence, kidnapping and creepy bug things. Viewer discretion is advised (but nobody reads the disclaimer anyways, so who cares?)

The silhouette of a giant bug could be seen against the walls of the tomb. Chanting ominously, it joined a harmony of several other insects, swelling to a crescendo that reverberated inside the walls of the pyramid. The dim lantern, placed firm on the dirt floor, suddenly trembled, casting jagged shadows that seemed to hang suspended in the air.

The lead june bug slowly picked up a glass urn and poured the contents into the sarcophagus. The opalescent liquid seemed to vanish as it hit the body inside the coffin. It spread, covering every inch of the deceased insect.

Slowly, the bugs softened their chanting, and it eventually died down to an inaudible whisper. Tension was in the air as glistering black eyes darted around.

Then suddenly, there was a groaning sound. A creak. And a june bug shuddered and sat up.

Chapter Two Escape

Jayden sat upright, eyes flashing.

He had felt the pull. It had been so strong! The energy that circulated between him and the june bugs was getting so intense, it made him scream and punch, pull and shred everything around him.

He was now placed in a straitjacket, incarcerated in a mental ward in a small town in Nebraska, since a month ago he had failed to control the energy and attacked the warden.

Jayden knew he had to escape. In a blind rush to escape from the emotions, he had discovered a small grate inside his room that he could use to get out.

The pull began again. Jayden cried out, unable to stop himself. He had a sudden vision of Arjun reviving a june bug from an ancient mummy's sarcophagus, and he blinked.

The leader! The frail old june bug that Molly and Destiny had killed without mercy!

That settled it. He had to get out of here.

Jayden was heading to Egypt.

Destiny was out having lunch with Molly when she began to feel nauseous. Head tilting, she saw in her mind's eye a picture of an old june bug stepping out of a coffin, Arjun giving him a cane to use. The image of a pyramid rang throughout her mind.

"What's wrong, Destiny?" Molly rushed ot her side and began patting her cheeks.

"He-he's back!" Destiny croaked. "The bug we killed!"

Molly gasped. "Salazar?! How? That whole ordeal was a month ago."

Destiny shrugged, still short of breath. "Only thing I know is to call the troops. Seal Team 6?"

"Yeah." Molly took out her cell phone, face still pale as a ghost.

Chapter Three A New Addition

Vader rounded the corner, produced a gun from his left trouser pocket, and fired. It hit the man square in the chest, and he fell. Two more bullets, and all the assassins were on the ground.

"Good job! You're a natural." Pup walked over and removed the earmuffs. Cardboard cutouts lay splattered with bullets, and Vader was using a small, replicated model of a pistol.

"What I remember is that evil traitor almost killed us!" seethed Bunny through his teeth.

"He's in a mental ward. No harm to us." Lil'B was putting on his coat. "I say we check it out."

Nikki walked out of her office, tickets in hand. "We'll need these to get there."

Vader stared at his ticket like it was a note from the june bugs itself. "Egypt?!"

"Yes. That's where the bugs are right now. The pyramids, to be more exact." Nate grabbed his bag and hefted it onto his shoulder. "Plane leaves in an hour. Grab your gear."

The frail old bug looked at Arjun. "Never thought I would see you again!" He croaked.

Arjun smiled. "You too, Sal. We must get the humans who did this. We must use the powers of the supernatural. That is why we are in Egypt, no?"

Skyler looked at the temple walls. "We will revive the ancient scarab beetles and ask them to join our cause. We must find an ancient jewelry maker, who had his 10,000 scarab beetles buried with him."

Salazar looked at the bugs, fire dancing in his eyes. Behind him, the images of the scarab beetles could be seen in the dim glow of the light. This makeshift pyramid, buried deep within the Sahara Desert, was used as an honoring place for fallen june bugs; James and many others were taken and buried here.

The june bugs smiled. They were back in action.

Chapter Four In The Air

At the private military base, a Bell UH-1 was waiting for the team. Nathan and Pup had contacted an old agent of theirs and persuaded him to allow the team to rent the helicopter. Aboard, the original team members (Nate, Pup, Bunny and Lil'B) began discussing how best to attack, while Nikki and Vader lingered behind and listened.

They were so absorbed in their tactful plans that they failed to notice the pilot - Mr. H - take out a small listening device and gently slide it on the floor over towards them. The roar of the helicopter's rotor blades covered the noise as it pinged against the leg of Nathan's seat.

Mr. H placed the recieving end of the device onto his ear. He pulled out a radio.

"Arjun, can you hear me? We're in the air. Over."

"Hey, it's me, H. From here, I can hear all their plans. Do you want me to induce a crash attack?"

"Don't risk it. You're a valuable asset. Put the humans on the radio and get them to Cairo."

Mr. H took out the device from his ear and placed it on top of the radio. Then, leaning back, he began flying the helicopter to its indicated destination.

Behind him, the team discussed, oblivious to what was being broadcasted to the enemy.

Jayden ran madly, eyes darting, as he scampered across the Nebraska fields in the dead of night. He had to reach Cairo, to reunite with the june bugs and be a part of them once again. He had to sneak into Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Virginia without being noticed, pass security and survive 15 hours stuffed inside a suitcase on the way to Cairo.

A smile came to Jayden's lips. It was easier done than said.

Chapter Five Khepri, Egyptian Jeweler

The tomb of the ancient Egyptian jeweler was located in an archaeologist's small center for examination. It had been discovered years ago, and was still awaiting approval from the Egyptian government to send it to a museum in Hong Kong.

Not guarded at all, it was the perfect place to resurrect a person and his fellow scarab beetles.

Isaac was the receptionist and manager of this small makeshiftlab set up in the heat of the summer day. He was combing through some paperwork, oblivious to the small commotion that was going on behind him. Inky, a june bug with a shell as black as his name, silently skittered towards the small medical lab in the back, balancing a small nail on his back. When inside, he dropped the nail and began sawing furiously at the small crack in the rear of the room.

Fifteen minutes later, the tired june bug stopped to rest, having carved out a small space for the rest of the june bugs to get in. Behind the small dirt wall, Arjun, Salazar and the rest of the insects waited anxiously.

"Are you sure the humans will never find us here?" Salazar whispered.

"Yes. Those fools still think we are in the pyramids. Our agent, Mr.H, set up a listening device."

Arjun grinned. Here they were, hoping to summon a sprit from the otherworld back to the present.

With the new scarab beetles, victory will be impossible to prevent.

Victoria stealthily placed a suitcase with a fake bomb inside, next to the shop opposite the security check at the Nebraska airport. Jayden's old acquaintance, she was now attempting to smuggle him out of the country and into Cairo. She politely asked one of the officers to check that piece of suspicious baggage, and snuck forward. When the guard heard a ticking noise, he pressed a button and the airport speaker announced a lockdown. Guards and people were scampering everywhere, and it was no trouble to get Jayden behind the detectors and over into the boarding area without being noticed.

The plane was scheduled to leave in two minutes. Just on time, Victoria and Jayden managed to exit the airport and get aboard the plane. With a smooth takeoff and a gentle ride, the plane was in the air, with one of America's most dangerous people on it .

Chapter Six Seeing Things

The visions were getting stronger.

She could almost feel the tug of the energy that tied them together.

As Destiny got off the attack helicopter and stepped out into the small air base, she felt another wave of images come through. She caught flashes of scarab beetles, jewelry, and june bugs. Abruptly, she halted and motioned to the others.

Nate was on his phone, checking directions. She tapped him on the shoulder.

"Are there any mummies that were jewelers?"

Bunny spoke up. "One, out in the desert in a small researcher's lab. Why?"

Pup caught on. "Are you saying the scarab beetles are where-"

"No time for explaining. Let's go." Destiny steered Molly and the team towards the road. "Taxi!"

Isaac was closing up for the night when he walked into the examination room and noticed a bug on the floor. Inky, though small for the june bugs, was still a good 2+ feet in width. Frowning, Isaac scooped the bug up and deposited it outside. Whatever it was, it didn't belong in here.

Inky didn't dare bite the man for fear of attracting more attention. Frustrated, he trudged through the sand and met the aggravated june bugs behind the foundation.

"It's no use trying now. We'll get in tomorrow, and lock the door this time."

Light was fading across the desert. The restless bugs nestled in; they would get in tomorrow.

The taxi stopped on a small dirt road. "Follow the path there for about fifteen minutes, and you'll reach the site." The driver spoke with an air of finality, and drove off.

The team looked at each other. Prints, barely visible in the growing darkness, could be seen faintly along the edges of the path.

They were in the right place. Now, they had to figure out what the bugs wanted.

Pup stopped the team. "We should get some rest. Ambushing them right now could be bad. Besides, we're all tired. In the morning, we shall resume."

Everybody agreed. The tent was set up, and the humans began to sleep. Little did they know what was coming for them. What evil they faced. What demons they had yet to experience.

Chapter Seven Converging

"Just got a call from Nathan. The big bugs are now in Cairo, in a small lab. He sent me coordinates." Jennifer looked up from her phone. "Want to go check it out?"

Jennifer smiled, already on a travel website, booking her way to Egypt.

Mr. H trailed behind Nathan and the team, determined to find them and see where they were going. He wanted to find the june bugs and help them revive the mummy jeweler, but couldn't if he didn't know where they were. Gritting his teeth, he stopped a few feet behind the tent, headlights turned off. Mr. H slowly exited the car and cautiously crept past the sleeping bags.

He didn't notice hitchhikers on the back of the rented SUV.

Pup woke up with a start. He glanced around groggily, noticing with alarm a shadowy figure outside. Grabbing his gun, he woke the rest of the team. Eyes alert, Bunny motioned to the figure; voices could be heard through the canvas cloth.

"- have to be here. Where did they go?" A female voice, not one they recognized. A pause. "That way? That's not where tha path leads. Are you sure?"

Footsteps. "I'll go now. Take care of the people in the tent; I saw motion."

Lil'B slowly unzipped the entrance, and Bunny and Nate sprang out, guns trained and flashlights pointing. Pup brought up the rear, then gasped.

"Jayden?!"

Chapter Eight Sunrise and Surprise

"It's no use. We lost him." Pup panted, face red. "I didn't dare shoot because we would alert the bugs. We have to follow them, quick!"

One by one, the team gathered their materials and began pursuing the intruder. Destiny, her mind still flooded with visions, was left behind with Molly. No one would harm them.

But they would have visitors.

Ten minutes later, a small buggy arrived at the scene. Caked in dirt and grime, two passengers stepped out, guns at the ready. The soft glow of the upcoming sunrise illuminated their faces, just enough so that Molly could peer out to identify them.

Logan and Jennifer.

Pointing and waving, Molly steered them off into the direction of Nathan and his team. As they ran off, Destiny groaned loudly and whispered.

"He's...coming"

She slumped back on the makeshift cot, energy drained. Molly watched in anguish, then radioed the team to warn them.

"Watch out guys. Logan and Jen are coming, but Dest told you to look out for another guy."

"Yeah... we have a bit of a situation here. Send help!" Lil'B's voice rang out.

Then static.

At that moment, the heroic humans had located the dirt establishment and the june bugs behind it. Arjun and Salazar met them, fierce looks in their eyes. At their backs was a large gap where a line of june bugs could be seen entering the lab. It was currently closed, and there was no one inside; Inky had managed to dig through the dirt wall from the out.

Jayden was standing at the head of the pack. "We only need to hold you off before my bugs manage to bring back Khepri and his beetles." He flashed a smile.

Through the wall, Nate and Pup heard a faint, muffled groan emanting from the inside.

Things were about to get rough.

Chapter Nine The Chamber

Oddly, Jayden and Mr. H began retreating back towards the front entrance of the office. Two muscular bodyguards - Pete and Lex - blocked the path of the humans to follow them while the remaining bugs followed Jayden. Lil'B put his gun up, but Nathan stopped him. He motioned for the seven to follow at a safe distance, with Logan and Jennifer leading and Bunny in the back.

When they entered the small makeshift lab, they realized what the bugs were doing. The sarcophagus of the mummy was inside a large Plexiglas room, along with the rest of the june bugs. Small pots and jars were being transferred inside, and the humans watched in horror as Jayden and Mr. H stepped in and entered a code.

There was a hissing sound. Pete and Lex scampered in, snapping Nikki out of her reverie. Running, she dashed into the room and upturned an old cart carrying various jars that tumbled out of the door frame just as the sliding door hissed shut.

This room was in fact a sealed vacuum chamber, large emough for scientists to prepare ancient specimens inside and simulate the old air, so as not to let the precious artifacts vaporize when exposed. There was no way to get out; the chamber was bullet-proof and impossible to enter from the outside.

Nikki was trapped inside with an ancient mummy and an army of june bugs.

Luckily, she had managed to save the jars. When Vader inspected them, she found clear, fluorescent liquid inside each of them; the twenty jars were all filled to the brim with it.

The resurrecting liquid. The one to bring the mummy back to life.

Chapter Ten Negotiations

Stellan, chief of the FBI, put the phone down and looked up. "Got word from aviation: Jen and Logan are in Egypt, supposedly tracking down a lead on an old case. Anyone want to go after them?"

Colleagues nodded in agreement. Stellan selected five trained combat officers, and they hustled out of the small meeting room and out into the sunlight, duffel bags heavy with equipment.

Nikki was pinned against the wall, hardly able to breathe from the large june bug - Pete? - almost suffocating her. She overheard snippets of the conversations between the humans (Jayden, Mr. H, Victoria) and heard that the pots were filled with resurreccting liquid. If poured over the body, it would render a ghost with the spirit of the dead, which would live and act like the real human.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Bunny motioning to her. Pup and Nathan were busy deciding how to handle the situation. Logan and Lil'B were attempting to talk with an idle june bug, and Jennifer was radioing back to Molly and Destiny.

Bunny's lips moved silently, but the words were clear as if spoken through a microphone.

For three minutes, Bunny and Nikki conversed silently. Pete paid no attention, instead resting his shell comfortably on the spine of his human cushion. Inky and Arjun were listening to Victoria speak, eyes glistering with malice.

Nikki understood what she had to do. In the very corner of the room, there was a small explosive device. From what she overheard, they were planning to use it as cover to get away from the humans. The detonator lay tantalizingly close, yet firmly guarded in the claws of Lex. How to proceed?

Adrenaline pumping, Nikki steeled herself. Then, in one fluid motion, she kicked at the firm wall and pushed, sending the shocked Pete tumbling into Inky. She ran over to Lex, dodging Skyler and hurdling over another bug as the furious insects began chasing her. Nikki grabbed at Lex's claws, closed her eyes, and pushed the button.

She felt nothing. It was over as quick as it had begun.

Chapter Eleven Penetration

The Plexiglas cracked but held. The people outside watched in horror as a wave of energy propelled the nearest june bugs toward various walls, the thumping noise becoming obscured by the sound that followed. The chamber shook on its foundation but remained. There was no fire or spark; the bugs had cleverly designed the weapon to leave no trace behind. This worked to Bunny and Nikki's advantage.

Taking advantage of the temporary chaos in the room, Lil'B took his pistol and whacked a corner of the frame where cracks had began to spiral out. After a few tries, the plastic shattered and the five armed humans, along with Vader, began chipping away at the material.

Two minutes later, the june bugs regrouped and began hacking away at their own area. Propelled by sheer adrenaline, the bugs clambered over each other and made a hole big enough just as the humans poured into the room.

Vader gasped. "The jars!"

The sarcophaugs was pushed out as Vader, Logan and Pup dove for the jars at the same time as Skyler and Arjun. Sickening crunches could be heard, and Skyler's shell was smashed in between Logan's hip and Arjun's belly. Whimpering, he crawled to safety along with Arjun, who managed to snag a jar with him. The surviving bugs burrowed out of the small gap in the dirt wall, pushing the sarcophagus with them. They escaped.

The place was utterly devastated. Inside the chamber, four june bugs and Nikki lay dead among the broken pieces of plastic. One june bug - Lex - lay groaning, shell split and cracked. Bunny dragged him into the corner, leaning him on his underside.

Interrogation could be done later, but there were more pressing matters.

Chapter Twelve Ghost

Nikki's body was a mess. Hair was tangled in front of her face, and her arms and legs were cut when the bomb's outer layers ripped through the flesh. Blood was minimal, and it looked as if there was still some hope after all.

Silently, Logan swept all the wreckage away. Jennifer brought over two pots and laid one of them to the side. Grimacing, she unscrewed the lid as Nathan, Pup and Bunny watched. Lil'B and Vader has went back to bring Molly and Destiny.

Slowly, the jar was tipped. Milky liquid slowly flowed out, smoothing over every inch of Nikki's body. The humans anxiously backed away as the liquid formed a small puddle around the dead body. Eyes were darting, muscles tensed.

If the june bugs were lying, there would be no saving the girl.

Suddenly, Pup pointed. The puddle was getting smaller, as if Nikki was a sponge soaking up the mositure. As the last of the liquid seeped away, Nikki's mouth opened. She issued a few groaning sounds. Her legs twitched.

Transfixed, the humans watched as she sat up, brushing the hair off her face. Her eyes opened, and from it shined a radiant glow that reflecting off the Plexiglas.

It was over. The body crumpled in a heap on the ground. Nathan rushed over and rolled Nikki onto her back. At once, Nikki's eyes opened and her face lit up.

"Man, that was a hell of a ride!"

Chapter Thirteen Reawakened

The small jar did the job.

Within fifteen minutes, the june bugs had dragged the sarcophagus into the heat of the desert, opened the casket and revived the mummy. Disgusting as it was, the ancient figure resumed his natural color, as if the world became lost in the depths of time as it rewinded.

"O Lord Khepri, we bow at your feet and revive you in the hope that you will be able to lead us to your servants. O great one, take us to your scarabs!"

The lid creaked open, and a pale human stepped out. Not more than forty, he wore a simple tunic and ancient sandals. The color and vigor was revived in the man's face and skin; he looked as if he had emerged from a deep sleep.

"You can call me Jack. Khepri is an old pet name of mine."

"Sir, where have you kept your scarab beetles? We must assemble and ready them for battle."

In ten minutes, confusion was cleared up. The jeweler was convinced that Arjun and his team were running from a band of hideous, malicious humans. Being convicted of a crime he did not commit and excecuted by group of the pharaoh's servants, Jack knew he had to help them.

The mission was set: Travel to a small pyramid, make the reviving liquid, set the scarabs free and uncover the secret of secrets.

Rule the world.

Isaac walked into his job to witness an incredible sight. The whole place was wrecked, and when he entered the small examiner's room he saw Nathan and Pup giving pale Nikki a sip of water. She vividly explained, with intruiging detail, as the metal shards ripped through her ribcage and splattered her heart. It was almost gruesome to listen to her.

Logan walked over and began talking to the astonished man; minutes later, he frowned.

"So the bugs took the ancient mummy and some ... resurrecting liquid?"

"Basically. We need your help to track them."

"What can I do to help?"

Soon, Jennifer and Bunny hustled Nikki out and into the blazing sun as Pup and Nathan explained the situation to Isaac. They reached the vehicles they arrived in and saw Jennifer and Molly, clutching a disoriented Destiny by the arm.

"She says visions are overcoming her. We should really find the bugs; she could suffer severe mental damage if we don't resolve this."

Pup opened the back door of the van. "I'll stay back here with Destiny; you guys sit up in front."

Three minutes later, the crew was seated. Logan, Jennifer, Vader, Nikki, Nathan, Pup, Lil'B, Bunny, Molly and Destiny were packed inside, and the slow hum of the engine eventually put Destiny to sleep.

Chapter Fourteen Epilogue: The Next Path

"Hey, check this out!"

One of the agents Stellan had sent to Egypt was on his phone. "They discovered a new pyramid about two weeks ago, partially buried, in the Saharan Desert. Do you think-"

"Dude, chill. We have to find Logan and Jennifer first before doing any sightseeing." His partner sighed. "My guts tell me that this is not going to end quickly."

He was right.

Night had fallen on the world. The van was parked behind some dried bushes, covered with dirt and grime from the afternoon off-roading. Destiny had mentioned something about a new pyramid, and Nathan was heading there through the shortest route: through the desert. Luckily, there was enough food and gas to last the people for another five days, so there were no worries.

Destiny was getting worse. She couldn't see anything besides the visions that obscured her. Speech was feverently muttered, most of it nonsense. The team was sure about it; if left untreated, Destiny could die.

On that night, however, she woke up with a start. Lil'B, dozing off in the backseat, was jostled and sat up, eyes bleary.

"What's wrong?"

Destiny stared straight into the side of the van. Her eyes were haunted, partially hidden behind strands of hair that covered her face.

Wow! You, dear reader, have made it through the second part of this story!

Although this is a purely fictional story, the people in it do represent people on Chess.com:

@JunyJuneBug - Arjun @pt6 - Pete

@Destiny - Destiny @YaBoyJayden - Jayden

@MollyWood - Molly @FM_Checkmate - Victoria

@Logan - Logan @The_Helloer - Mr. H

@Fennifer - Jennifer @bigboychessdaddy - Isaac

@staminapoints23 - Nathan/Nate @chessguy1012 - Skyler

@Endapuppy - Pup @FortunaMajor - Salazar

@CuteBunny123 - Bunny @LilBoat21 - Lil'B

@LHK_Nikki - Nikki @superman0101 - Lex

@starboystellan - Stellan @LethalRook_1892 - Vader

@unheathenedfat - Jack/Khepri @Incorrectname - Inky

Honoring the Past:

@ulfhednar1234 - Ulfy @VicountVonJames - James

@Destroyer_Mark_1420 - Doctor Mark @Taurusmale67 - Taurus

To all of you who submitted requests to be in this story ( @kingofshedinjas, @josephyossi), all the spots were already filled up in this part and I could not fit you with a role. I will be sure to include you in the epic finale of this trilogy.

If you didn't read Part One like I told you to in the disclaimer (shame on you), and you somehow understood what was happening, then well, good job. Still, go read it!

Again, if you liked this, comment, share and spread the word!

If you want to be a part in the finale, comment below, message me or leave a note on my profile, @FlashyFerrari, and I will try to find you a part in the next not-so-short story.

(P.S. And yes, I am sorry that this ends at a cliffhanger. It prolongs the suspense . Don't worry, the next one will be out before Christmas.)